Summary:
A global 3PL used automated testing to cut manual test time by 10x and validate Blue Yonder Billing Management releases faster after every deployment.
Challenge
A global third-party logistics (3PL) company specializing in international shipping, courier services, and transportation faced a significant challenge with Blue Yonder Billing Management. Receiving and validating new releases for configuration and process was cumbersome. The manual testing required after each deployment was time-consuming and prone to errors, which made the testing process arduous and complex.
Solution
Nexlytics, a Blue Yonder reseller and accredited consulting partner specializing in Dispatcher WMS and Billing Management, used the extensible Cycle® platform to develop the Blue Yonder Billing Management Cycle Test Library. The library contains hundreds of prewritten test cases and reusable building blocks that can be assembled to fit different business processes, saving significant time that would otherwise go to writing automated scripts from scratch. It served as a foundational framework and was further customized to meet the customer’s specific requirements.
Using the library, Nexlytics ran automated test scripts directly on the customer’s Billing Management solution and delivered results on newly deployed releases within days. The main advantage of the library is repeatability: scripts can be run multiple times to ensure consistency and accuracy. Automated testing also enables thorough, reliable validation of results and reduces manual errors.
Results
The Blue Yonder Billing Management Cycle Test Library has transformed the 3PL’s testing process. Regression test execution is now 10x faster, making it quicker and more efficient to verify system functionality after updates or changes. Tasks that typically took 5+ days of manual testing now take only 3-5 hours with the library powered by Cycle®.
The automation has created a repeatable process, so testing is consistent and can be replicated precisely across testing cycles. Automated validation also improves the accuracy and reliability of results and lowers the likelihood of human error. At the end of each execution cycle, detailed success/failure reports are generated automatically, giving the customer actionable data to make informed decisions quickly and continuously improve its systems.
This approach improves operational efficiency and supports ongoing improvement in software quality and performance.
“Cycle® has revolutionized testing of Billing Management. Monthly release testing can be completed within a day or two of receiving the new release using customer-specific data. This gives users confidence when updating their production systems and allows the updates to happen weeks earlier than would be possible with manual testing.”
Philip Ashworth, Solution Architect
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